With the authorization of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) initiative expiring tomorrow, September 30, Congress will miss the deadline for extending these critical programs. Unfortunately, this lapse in funding could put many programs at-risk of closing and deny children access to health insurance.

Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the "Child Care for Working Families Act of 2017."  This legislation would greatly assist millions of families in gaining access to quality and affordable care.

On May 4, the House of Representatives barely passed H.R. 1628, the "American Health Care Act (AHCA) of 2017," on a party-line vote. H.R. 1628 would replace the "Affordable Care Act of 2010," and if enacted into law, it could result in more than 20 million people losing access to health insurance, as well as millions of children losing access to Medicaid coverage, over the next decade.

The clash between the American dream and the American reality has gotten dramatically worse for millennials seeking to have a career and family, a battle outlined in stark details in a new report by Child Care Aware^® of America.

Do you believe all families should have access to affordable, high-quality child care? Are you a federal employee or member of the military? Do you know anyone who fits this description? Then you still have two months to select Child Care Aware^® of America as your CFC charity of choice!

Child Care Aware^® of America has been awarded three MarCom Awards as part of a 2016 creative competition for marketing and communications professionals.

• Platinum Award: Child Care Aware^® of America 2016-2017 Calendar
• Gold Award: Child Care Works website
• Gold Award: Child Care Aware^® of America Annual Report

Child Care Aware^® of America was selected as a winner from more than 300 categories of print, web, video, and strategic communications.